Rue de la Paix 

Edouard Cortes captured the essence of Parisian street life on canvas with oil paints. The slick surfaces and diffused light are as much about the qualities of the medium as the scene itself. Look closely and you will see how the material is applied in loose brushstrokes, capturing the reflections and mood of a rainy evening. The choice of oil paint, allowed Cortes to create a rich texture and luminous effects, conveying the energy of the city. He skillfully rendered the architecture, figures, and carriages with nuanced tonal variations, resulting in a harmonious composition, but it’s also possible to see this as a commercial scene, a display of available goods. Cortes shows us a romantic vision of Paris, yet it's also a testament to the skilled traditions of painting and the artist's ability to translate reality into art. Materials, making, and context are therefore essential to understanding the full meaning of an artwork.